Optical Express - Appalling! What are my rights

halibut2209

Do we only accept posts with proof now?

eskimo26

How old is your partner?

I discussed this with my cousin who is an consultant in the top eye hospital in london.

He said if you going to do it make sure it's now [i was mid 20's then] because your eye sight will still detiorate from age regardless so you WILL need reading glasses eventually despite the laser surgery.

So i guess reading glasses is different to glasses 24/7 but knowing i would have to wear glasses again anyway, albeit less often, it didn't seem worth the money .Also there is always a small chance something goes wrong and my eyes are very important to me!

callmeoldfashioned

Can't comment on surgery (IOL) as I did not fall 'within their criteria'. But their customer service is abysmal and they conduct themselves like a bucket shop for eye surgery. I was tested on Sunday, 30 September and all appointment times were different which didn't bode well and I should have followed my instincts and walked away then. An assistant advised me I could still have the procedure but only one surgeon in Harley Street would oblige and I could talk it over more with him if I made an appointment but would have to pay a £500 deposit as a 'goodwill gesture'. After thinking about it I decided I would wait for my middle age eyesight to deteriorate and go for it later. On Monday, 1 October I went back to the bucket shop in Birmingham and explained and an assistant sent an email to their HO with a request for a £500 refund. My statement shows the £500 was debited on Monday, 1 October. Today is Friday, 23 November and I am still waiting after originally being told it would take up to 28 days. I have telephoned at least six times now, given my card details again more than once, been promised call backs and not received any apology or explanation whatsoever. On 21 November I was told I was 'on the list' for a refund and a Becky would ring me next day. Nothing. Yesterday evening (22 November) I was told I was 'in a batch' for signing off by Becky and was promised a call this morning. We shall see. Appalling.

If and when I do get to a stage where I am an eligible patient for this procedure, I would not hesitate to go ahead but NOT through Optical Express. Makes me shudder.

Visited shop on Monday, 1 October to inform of decision. Anita who had taken my payment had been made redundant (from Wolverhampton). Another assistant took my details and sent an email to whoever explaining my decision and requesting refund.
Phone call - unable to put through to refunds – ‘only two lines’. Someone will call back for card details No-one did.
Phone call – unable to put through to refunds. Explained and complained again so female took my card details.
Phone call – Explained and complained again. Told it would take up to 28 days. Someone will call me back. No one did.
29 October phone call. Spoke to ‘Janet’ – explained and complained again. Questioned me as to why I would have paid a £500 deposit in the first place and inferred it was a favour to me if I got it back!
Wednesday, 21 November 17.28 – Pauline Black. Explained and complained again. Professionally embarrassed that no one had rang me to advise. Could not explain why no refund yet as separate department (closes at 5.30). Sent note to her manager Becky who would ring me next day to update (Pauline Black would be away).
Thursday, 22 November. No call received.
Husband telephoned evening at 17.15 – Ryan Ritchie. Explained again – “refund department closed at 5.30”. Indifferent – ‘no point going to shop as they wouldn’t be able to help’.

OpticalExpress_representative

callmeoldfashioned wrote: »

Can't comment on surgery (IOL) as I did not fall 'within their criteria'. But their customer service is abysmal and they conduct themselves like a bucket shop for eye surgery. I was tested on Sunday, 30 September and all appointment times were different which didn't bode well and I should have followed my instincts and walked away then. An assistant advised me I could still have the procedure but only one surgeon in Harley Street would oblige and I could talk it over more with him if I made an appointment but would have to pay a £500 deposit as a 'goodwill gesture'. After thinking about it I decided I would wait for my middle age eyesight to deteriorate and go for it later. On Monday, 1 October I went back to the bucket shop in Birmingham and explained and an assistant sent an email to their HO with a request for a £500 refund. My statement shows the £500 was debited on Monday, 1 October. Today is Friday, 23 November and I am still waiting after originally being told it would take up to 28 days. I have telephoned at least six times now, given my card details again more than once, been promised call backs and not received any apology or explanation whatsoever. On 21 November I was told I was 'on the list' for a refund and a Becky would ring me next day. Nothing. Yesterday evening (22 November) I was told I was 'in a batch' for signing off by Becky and was promised a call this morning. We shall see. Appalling.

If and when I do get to a stage where I am an eligible patient for this procedure, I would not hesitate to go ahead but NOT through Optical Express. Makes me shudder.

Visited shop on Monday, 1 October to inform of decision. Anita who had taken my payment had been made redundant (from Wolverhampton). Another assistant took my details and sent an email to whoever explaining my decision and requesting refund.
Phone call - unable to put through to refunds – ‘only two lines’. Someone will call back for card details No-one did.
Phone call – unable to put through to refunds. Explained and complained again so female took my card details.
Phone call – Explained and complained again. Told it would take up to 28 days. Someone will call me back. No one did.
29 October phone call. Spoke to ‘Janet’ – explained and complained again. Questioned me as to why I would have paid a £500 deposit in the first place and inferred it was a favour to me if I got it back!
Wednesday, 21 November 17.28 – Pauline Black. Explained and complained again. Professionally embarrassed that no one had rang me to advise. Could not explain why no refund yet as separate department (closes at 5.30). Sent note to her manager Becky who would ring me next day to update (Pauline Black would be away).
Thursday, 22 November. No call received.
Husband telephoned evening at 17.15 – Ryan Ritchie. Explained again – “refund department closed at 5.30”. Indifferent – ‘no point going to shop as they wouldn’t be able to help’.

Hi,

Thank you for sharing your feedback and I am sorry to hear about your experience. It is certainly not the level that we aspire to as the UK’s leading provider of laser eye surgery.

As I am sure you can appreciate, it is difficult for us to respond to your specific experience without knowing some more details. Could you please contact me at [EMAIL="customerfeedback@opticalexpress.com"]customerfeedback@opticalexpress.com[/EMAIL] with your relevant details and I will investigate your complaint further?

Thanks,

Lynsey Shaw
Optical Express - Head of Customer Care

bod1467

I saw this and thought of this thread.

Yorksport

Very surprised to read some of the comments here. I had laser eye surgery with Optical Express - albeit Leeds rather than Birmingham - early this year and received excellent treatment and advice. I didn't have any drops prior to treatment so I guess it must be your particular eye condition. Also I need to point out that I am in my 60s and now have perfect sight with no need to wear glasses for reading or distance contrary to eskimo26's comments above. I'd accept the apology and inconvenience and rebook.

bod1467

MSE own copyright to anything posted on the forums, thus they may be held liable if they leave something "dubious". Hence why they have a twitchy nukem policy.

I agree with your sentiment though - if OE are so confident in their position then let them try to sue you.

rabbitmoon

Yorksport wrote: »

Very surprised to read some of the comments here. I had laser eye surgery with Optical Express - albeit Leeds rather than Birmingham - early this year and received excellent treatment and advice. I didn't have any drops prior to treatment so I guess it must be your particular eye condition. Also I need to point out that I am in my 60s and now have perfect sight with no need to wear glasses for reading or distance contrary to eskimo26's comments above. I'd accept the apology and inconvenience and rebook.

Its nice testimonials like this that OE crave, and use to market to further customers. But there ARE plenty of hidden horror stories that get played down. You only need to do a little research to find them. E.g. OE will tell you all about the stats of 20/20 vision - but won't tell you about the probability of starbursts, halo effects, night time distortion, dry eyes. The risk of dry eyes is actually quite high, and I was told it could be easily handled with small plastic plugs in the tear ducts. No thanks. [TEXT DELETED BY FORUM TEAM]

pmduk

Please, before undertaking such surgery get some independent advice, preferably someone not selling a service. Treat all staff in these clinics (not just OE), solely as sales staff who will tell you what ever is necessary to get your business.

Your eyesight is far too valuable to leave to chance. Yes you might have to pay for the independent advice, but factor it into the overall cost before considering this treatment.

callmeoldfashioned

Yorksport wrote: »

Very surprised to read some of the comments here. I had laser eye surgery with Optical Express - albeit Leeds rather than Birmingham - early this year and received excellent treatment and advice. I didn't have any drops prior to treatment so I guess it must be your particular eye condition. Also I need to point out that I am in my 60s and now have perfect sight with no need to wear glasses for reading or distance contrary to eskimo26's comments above. I'd accept the apology and inconvenience and rebook.

Appreciate what you are saying - but what apology? I am GLAD all this happened with my 'deposit' so I know to look elsewhere if and when I am ready to have a procedure. My belief is one never knows the measure of a company until something goes wrong - the arrogance of this one is breathtaking. Heaven forbid letting them loose on my eyesight. Like I said. Bucket shop.